San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer on Wednesday sent his final pitch to the National Football League to keep the Chargers in his city instead of allowing them to move to Los Angeles.
Wednesday was the deadline for three cities — San Diego, St. Louis and Oakland — to make their final pitches. All three cities' teams are expected to ask the NFL’s Committee on Los Angeles Opportunities next week to allow them to move. Football team owners will vote in January on whether any teams can move.
The plan "... includes a significant funding commitment toward the construction of a new stadium facility — representing the largest public commitment to a multipurpose sports and entertainment venue in the history of the State of California."
— letter from San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer
San Diego's 41-page presentation included a letter to the committee stating the city's offer of $350 million in public money represents "the largest public commitment to a multipurpose sports and entertainment venue in the history of the State of California."
The public money for the $1.1 billion proposed stadium would come from the city and San Diego County. But Faulconer reiterated that the funds would not be spent without a public vote first.
This vote requirement has been a sticking point for the Chargers, who have refused to negotiate with city officials since June. The team has instead focused on lobbying the NFL to be allowed to move to Los Angeles.
The Chargers have proposed a joint-use stadium with the Oakland Raiders in the L.A. suburb of Carson. The owner of the St. Louis Rams has been working on building a stadium in the L.A. suburb of Inglewood.
In a statement Wednesday, Faulconer called San Diego's stadium proposal "fair and viable."
"San Diego has been a great NFL city for more than 50 years," he said. "This report captures the passion San Diego fans have for their home team and everything we’ve done to show that San Diego is the only true home of the Chargers. San Diego has an excellent stadium proposal and is a fantastic market that nobody should want to leave."
The offer did not differ substantially from one spelled out this fall in a term sheet sent from the city to the NFL. That record was obtained by the online news website Voice of San Diego.
Besides the $350 million in public money, Faulconer's stadium funding proposal calls for the Chargers to kick in $362.5 million and the NFL $200 million. The selling of personal seat licenses would bring in $187.5 million.
